Seat spring structure



March 20, 1951 J. L. APPERT SEAT SPRING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 22, 1946 INVENTOR. JICOS 1;.ALPE2T,

mmr- Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Jacob L. Alpert, Los Angeles, Calif. v Application October 22, 1946, Serial No. 704,831

My invention relates to spring structures more particularly adapted, although not necessarily, to be used in seats of chairs, davenports, and other forms of like furniture.

A purpose of my invention is the provision of a seat spring structure which is structurally characterized by its simplicity,-low cost of manufacture and durability, and functionally by its high degree of resiliency to produce a superior cushioning action under all human loads, to be stable in its cushioning property to support a sitting person substantially horizontally and without side sway, and to thus prevent injury or rapid wear of those parts of the furniture with which it may be associated.

6 Claims. (01. 155-119) I will describe only one form of seat spring structure in its adaptation to a chair, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying. drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in broken lines the conventional form of upholstered chair, with the seat frame in section, and having applied thereto one form of spring structure embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of the spring structure and seat frame shown in Fig. l, as seen on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the spring structure as mounted on the seatframe, with a portion of the web of the structure broken away to reveal the stabilizing spring elements.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section, showing the sliding connection between the frame of the spring structure and one of the spring legs.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55' of Fig. 3.

The seat spring structure of my invention is capable of embodiment in various forms of furniture, upholstered or otherwise. However, in its present embodiment it is incorporated in a conventional upholstered chair shown in broken lines in Fig. l, and having the'usual sides l5, back l6, feet l1, and a side frame T usually made of wood and suitably secured to the sides and back of the chair. This frame is rectangular and is made up of upper side and end rails l8 and I9, and lower side and end rails 20 and 2|.

- The spring structure, in its present embodiment, comprises a pair of springs S of identical construction, and each made from a single length of relatively heavy wire bent to form a pair of colls 22 that may have one or more convolu tions as the case may require. These coils are ,1 2 7 interconnected by'a linear section 23 which is fixedly secured to one of the lower side rails 20 preferably by a clamping bracket 23a. From the coils 22 the wire is extended tangentially upward toprovide a pair of crossed and upwardly extending legs 24 and 25. These legs so extend from the coils that they are in spaced relation one to the other, and, hence, free to move in vertical planes.

Above the springs S and supported by the legs 24 and'25 of both of the springs, is a metal frame F of rectangular form likewise constructed of relatively heavy wire and including end portions 26 and side portions 21. The upper ends of the legs 25 are fixedly secured to the front end portion 26 of the frame F at the points indicated at 28, while the upper ends of the legs 24 are curved as indicated at 29 in Fig, '4, and extended through and'locked in the lower round'edtportions of sleeves 30, the upper-portions of such sleeves being slidably mounted on the side portions 21 of theframeF. Within the frame F a conventional web'3l is held in extended position by a plurality of coiled springs 32, each ofwhich', as shown in Fig. '5, has one terminal hook 33 engaging'the sides or end portions 26' or 21 of the frameF, as the case may be, and arranged at spaced intervals along the length of said portions. The inner end of each spring 32 is likewise provided with ahook 34 which engages metal rods 35 extending through sleeves 36 formed on the two side edges and the "rear edge of the web 3|. The remaining or front edge of the web 31 is formed with a sleeve 36a through which the front end portion 26 of the frame F is extended; These slee'ves'are formed by folding and stitching thefweb upon itself, as more clearly illustrated in'Fig; 5.

The afore'de'scribed arrangement of springs and rods in relation to the frame F and the web 3|, manifestly holds the web in fully extended position within the frame to prevent sagging thereof under the weight of the sitter when reposing" on a cushion 31 superimposed on the web, as illustrated in Fig. l.

Elements E are included in my spring structure for stabilizing both the springs S and the frame F against any lateral sway, so that the springs, frame, and web, under the weight of the sitter, will move vertically and not to either side, thereby utilizing the full resiliency of the springs to obtain maximum cushioning action under all loads, and also to prevent injury or rapid wear of the adjacent parts of the chair, which would result if the spring structure were permittedto move in any plane but a vertical plane. I

" ea on a sea Two such elements E are, in the present instance, provided, and arranged in intersecting relation transversely of the springs S and preferably, although not necessarily, interconnecting the frame F with the seat frame T. Each element E is made up of a coiled spring 38 having hooked ends 39, one of which is connected to a relatively short wire strand 49 and the other of which is cofinected te a wire strand 4| which is relatively ldiig. The lower end of the strand 40 is secured to one of the lower side rails by a screw eye 42, while the upper end of the strand 4| is formed with a loop 43 which engages one of the side portions 21 of the frame F.

With the stabilizing elements E so coris'tr'uted and associated with the seat frame T and the cushion supporting frame F, it will be understood that when properl tensioned, the springs 38 will function to mainaim the springs S, more "partieularly the legs thereof, for mevement in tertica'i planes, and the frame F against any edgewise shifting;

In practice, the wei'ght'of any person sitting on the cushion 3?, will be imposed on the web '31, but this being held taut by the springs 32 the weight will be transmitted to the frame F to depress the legs'24 and against the tension of the coils 22, the legs 24, sliding on the frame F to allow lowering movement of the frame and web. In consequence, the coils 22 "serve to re"- siliently'support the frame F, the web 3|, and the cushion 3! te provide a superior cushion 'afition 'for the1sitter Due to the fact that the legs '24 and 25 are confined to movements in vertical planes by the stabilizing elements E, it becomes manifest that the frame and web will inove likewise in a verticalplane to the elimination of anyside swaying and to thus support the person substantially horizontally, and to inside the return of the frame and-web to eleelevated position under the action of the springs S when the weight of the person is removed from the'eushio'n.

Although I have herein shown and described 'only one form of seat'spring structure embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein withdutdeparting feiin the spirit of my inven- 'tion and the spirit and scope of the appended elaims.

I claim:

1-. A seat spring "structure adapted to b mounted on a seat frame, comprising: springs (rolled in vertical planes and secured to the seat frame, each having upwardly extending and crossed legs; a web supporting frame above said springs; means for fixing the upper end of one leg of each spring to one end of the web "supporting frame; and means for connecting the upper end of the other leg of spring to a side er said frame.

2; A seat spring structure adapted to be mounted on a seat frame, comprising: springs coiled in vertical planes, spaced one from the ether andsecured to the seat 'fram'e, eachspring having upwardly extending and cross legs; a web supporting frame above said springs; means for securing the free enas (if said legs to the web siihhb tihg jiraiiie; and stabil zing springs ech- "hected to iheseat name and to the web supporting frame and extehein"gti-ahsverse1 hi the first "ment one springs.

3. A seat spring struct re adapted to be mount- 7 I aifr'1e,'oinpri"sing5 a pair of springs coiled in verse: planes, and arranged in space 4 parallelism, each spring including a pair of coils interconnected and secured to the seat frame, andupwardly extending and crossed legs; a supporting frame above said springs; means for fixing the upper end of one leg of each spring to one end of the web supporting frame; and means for slidably connecting the upper end of the other leg of each spring to a side of said frame.

4. A seat spring struetiire as embodiedin claim 8, wherein a fabric web is ar'iaiiged within the web supporting frame, with one edge secured to the latter; rods in the other edges of said web; an springs connected to said frame and to said rods for resiliently holding said web in extended position within said frame.

5, A seat spring structure adapted to be mounted bn a seat frame, including: springs coiled in vertieal planes and secured totheseat frame, each spring having upwardly extending and assess legs disposed in diiferent vertical planes; a supporting frame of substantially rectangular o'iitlifie to the side portions of which the upper end of one leg of each spring is secured, and to one end portion of whichthe upper end of the other leg of each spring is secured and resiliently supported by said springs; a substantially rectangular web within the supporting frame having sleeves in all of its edges through one of which "one end portion of Said supporting frame extends; rods in the other sleeves or said web; and coiled "springs connected to the side portions and the other end ortions or said supporting frame and to said rods.

6. A seat spring structure-adapted to be mounted on a seat frame, including: springs c'oil'ed in vertical planes and secured to the seat name, each spring hating upwardly eitei'idifig and crossed legs disposed in different vertical planes; a supporting trains er silbstafitially rectangular outline to the side portions of which the upper end of circles or each spring is secured, and to one end portion of which the upper end of the ether leg of each spring is secured and resiliently supported by said springs; a substantially rectaiigula'i' wet within the supporting frame having sleeves in all of its edges through one or which one end portion of said supporting frame extends; rods in the other sleeves of said web; coiled springs connected to the side portions and the other end portion of said supporting frame and to said rods; and springs connected to the side portions of the seat frame and the supporting frame "for stabilizing the sup orting frame against Side SW33". H

JAGQB L-. ALPERT.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references-are of record iii the file of this atent:

.fJNITED STATES PATENTS 

